Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
That's funny - I had my Manuel rodriguez c3f for many years and loved it.
Really, I wouldn't worry too much about the guitar - at that price range, there isn't much between them - they're all more than adequate for learning on.
Look at the stringheight above the soundboard. Go for something in the 7 - 9mm range. Cheap flamencos are all overbuilt, heavy, poor pulsation. They can be used to learn some things on, but if you want a guitar that is more responsive and that´ll teach you things, then you have to pay more.
I'm also in the process of getting me an entry-level flamenco guitar.
I purchased a Cordoba 45FM, which I mostly like, but the high E string has a very annoying buzz on fret 7 and higher. I went to the local guitar center and brought home a Yamaha CG172SF to compare. The Action on the Yamaha is way lower than on the 45FM, but the D string has a horrible buzz pretty much elsewhere (all other strings are fine). Tone wise, the 45FM is clearly richer, but if I could get rid of the fret-buzz on the Yamaha while not loosing playability, it would be a keeper.
To compare with these two, I ordered a Cordoba F7 on Amazon, I should have it next week and will get back here to post my impressions. My plan is to keep one or none of these guitars eventually, my hopes are on the Cordoba F7.
I tried the Kremona Rosa Morena and Conde Hermanos C3 at Guitar Center and they both had good tone but so-so playability (action + neck shape).
Being from myself from Spain (I have a real Spanish accent :)), I would like to eventually become good enough to justify a Spanish made guitar. I'll be in Spain during the summer, but don't think bringing a guitar back with me (I live in San Diego, CA) would be doable.
What do you guys think is the price level where you get the playability and tone of a good flamenco guitar, but you don't pay too much for the name brand and other cosmetic stuff?
wannabe--a lot of the factory guitars are poorly set up--usually the action is a little too high. playability can usually be resolved with a little work.
as to spanish made guitars--some of the best flamenco guitars are built in countries other than spain. aaron green guitars are a good example of flamenco guitars that are considered by many to be one of the best. aaron builds guitars in central massachusetts--a very un-spanish locale.
Hi Keith I agree that very good luthiers can be found outside of Spain, but Aaron's more economic model is $7.5K, which I doubt I'll ever be worth of :)
Hey Wannabe, please, please please don't take this the wrong way but... With the money you have spent on the 2 Cordoba's and the Yamaha, you probably could have gotten a pretty damn good starter guitar. Of course you can return the Yamaha to Guitar Center within 30 days of buying it, and maybe you have, and maybe you already returned the Cordoba 45 as well. If that's the case I'm out of context here. Head on over to the classifieds here on the foro and check out this guitar Keith is selling. If $1000 is something you can afford, this would make a great guitar for one of you guys!
To give my opinion on the original question, I have never played a Paco Castillo so I can't speak about those guitars. Between the other 2 I would go with the Cordoba 7F. As Anders said, measure how high the strings are off of the top. Playability and sound are always the most important, and for flamenco how high the strings are off of the body is a big part of playability as you move on to doing golpe... I have been impressed with the "Rosa" for the price, but I have only played 3 of them, and 1 of the 3 wasn't as good as the other 2.
Never played that Castillo, but I would recommend the Cordoba F7 over the Rodriquez. But don't expect too much from any guitar in that general category.
I plan to return the Cordoba 45FM and the Yamaha, will wait for the Cordoba 7F but Amazon has a pretty good return policy, 30 days and they charge only $20 for UPS pick up.
I can afford $1000, I just want to maximize the amount of guitar/$ I get. I bet this ratio is not best to be found on a $7500 guitar.
I plan to return the Cordoba 45FM and the Yamaha, will wait for the Cordoba 7F but Amazon has a pretty good return policy, 30 days and they charge only $20 for UPS pick up.
I can afford $1000, I just want to maximize the amount of guitar/$ I get. I bet this ratio is not best to be found on a $7500 guitar.
David.
quote:
sanchis lopez
All these guitars you mentioned are more or less crap Go for the Sanchis Lopez. Plenty of bang for the buck.
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread